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Citizen's guide to the Iranian State:
. CONSTITUTION
  1. Does Iran have a Constitution?
    • Yes
  2. How was it finalized / approved?
    • Approved by revolution of 1979
  3. What kind of government does it create?
    • Republic

II. CHIEF / HEAD OF STATE
  1. Where does executive power reside?
    • Supreme leader
  2. Who is the Chief / Head of State?
    • Ayatollah Khamanei
  3. How many Heads of State have there been since the Revolution in 1979?
    • 2
  4. What is this person’s title?
    • Supreme leader
  5. How does one get this position? Qualifications?
    • Age 30-75 Nominated by guardian council
  6. Term of Office?
    • Life
  7. What is the role / power of the head of state?
    • Veto power over president

III. ASSEMBLY OF (RELIGIOUS) EXPERTS
  1. What is the group?
    • Group of Ayatollahs who are experts on religion
  2. How are they chosen? Qualifications?
    • Six by Supreme leader the other six by the parliament
  3. What is their Role / Powers in the Iranian System?

IV. EXECUTIVE BRANCH
  1. Who is the Head of Government?President Mahmud
  2. Name the last 3 presidents?
  3. How does one get this position? Term of Office? Directly elected by the people 4 year term
  4. What are the Requirements for this position? Qualifications? Must be Islamic born with experience in government
  5. What is the role / powers of this position?
  6. What is the relationship of the President to the Faqih? The president can dismiss the faqihhid he sees him as under qualified and the faqih can veto the president if he has 2/3 vote from the majlis
  7. Who else makes up the Executive Branch and what is their role(s)? Bureaucracy?the expediary council looks over all 3 branches, the assembly of experts reviews the performance of the president, and the council of guardians determines if the proposedlegislature is faithful to Islamic law.

V. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
  1. What are the most powerful policy making institutions in the Iranian political system? The majilis
  2. How is the legislature organized? All legislature must be approved by the majilis
  3. Which house does the majority of the work? (Notice I did not say which one is more important) the parliamentary comitiee
  4. What is the Term of Office for the Majlis? 4 years
  5. How does one get on the Majlis? Qualifications?
    • Voting shall be the prerogative rights of the Iranian citizens of 18 years of age. Insanity shall be the sole disqualification for voting.
    • Every candidate for election to the parliament shall be a citizen of Iran with an age ranging between 30 to 75 years. Belief in and active obligation to Islam and the ruling system, pledged faithfulness to the Constitution and the principle of wilayat al-faqih ( rule of the jurist) , holding a university master degree or its equivalent level, physical well-being in vision, hearing and speaking are also of major requirements.
  6. What is the demographic breakdown of the Majlis?
    • It consists of 290 members elected for four year terms.
  7. What is their role, power, function?
    • The responsibilities of the Majlis include the drafting of legislation, ratifying internal treaties and approving the national budget.
  8. What is the 2nd House called?
    • Council of Guardians
  9. How is the GC organized? Term of Office?
    • 12 member council that has joint veto power with the supreme leader over legislation passed by parliament.
      • Six of the members are lawyers nominated by the chief judge and confirmed by the Majles who rule on the constitutionality of laws.
      • Six of the members are clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader who ensure that bills passed by the Majles conform to shari'a law.

10. What is their role, power, function?
    • Acts like the upper house of parliament and selects candidates for elections
  1. What is the 3rd House of the legislature called?
  2. What is the role, power, function of the EC?

VI. JUDICIAL BRANCH
  1. What is the highest judicial authority in Iran?
  2. Who is the head of the Judicial Branch? How is this person chosen? Term of Office?
  3. How does one become a member of the highest court? Qualifications?
  4. What is the role of the Supreme Court?
  5. What is the hierarchy of the Iranian Court system?
  6. What does the Islamic Revolutionary Court do?
  7. What does the Special Clerical Court do?
  8. What is the basis of their legal system?
  9. What is the status of Rule of Law in Iran?

VII. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
  1. How is the government organized? Federal, Unitary or confederation?
  2. How many provinces are there in Iran?
  3. How are the 30 Provinces governed?
  4. How does one become a governor of a province?
  5. How are the local counties, districts and villages governed?

VIII. THE VELAYAT-E FAQIH
47. What is this?
48. What is the role / purpose of the Guardian of the Jurist in the Iranian System?